


a cure for insomnia

by ignisgayentia



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coffee Shops, Coffee-Related Disasters, Disaster Ignis, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Ignis Scientia, Shy Ignis Scientia, Wingman Gladio, flirty prompto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:02:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26883331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ignisgayentia/pseuds/ignisgayentia
Summary: Ignis lives a busy and hectic life at Insomnia University, and finds himself practically living at the campus's coffee shop,A Cure for Insomnia. On a particularly early morning, he bumps right into--literally--a new transfer student that he simply can't keep his eyes off of. Ignis finds he can hardly form complete sentences around him; will his love life--and dignity--survive? More importantly, will he be able to dryclean the coffee stains out of his designer button-ups?
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 24
Kudos: 103





	a cure for insomnia

**Author's Note:**

> SOOOO i wasn't gonna do anything this october due to being super busy w/ projects, buuut i got a commission from the lovely [kai](https://twitter.com/peachesand_jam), and their lovely coffee shop promnis art inspired me to write a tendy lil coffee shop fic to go along with!
> 
> some folks on twitter requested some disaster ignis, and boy is he a disaster, so i hope you enjoy!
> 
> (also, shoutout to my boyfriend who read this and said it was Not Garbage, many kisses)

Ignis hates early mornings, in all honesty. The only reason he chose a class at 7 A.M. sharp was because of his already hectic schedule; it was the only place this particular class could fit. 

Yes, Ignis hates early mornings, but he’s  _ good _ at them, like a lot of mundane things he endures in his life. Ignis can handle anything he doesn’t like and pretend to enjoy it all the same; between his full class schedule and his job, he has plenty of experience with going through the motions.

Despite his dislike for them, mornings  _ are  _ easy. Ignis would much rather be sleeping, but he can’t remember the last time he was able to sleep in and not feel guilty about it. With a few cups of coffee, he can forget that early morning by the time he walks into class.

All of this definitely means that Ignis practically lives in the campus coffee shop,  _ A Cure for Insomnia. _ If he didn’t have a job already, he’d work here just to have any free coffee he can get his hands on. He’s there every morning, sometimes in the afternoons, and even when he needs to be up late for work—he pops in for a nighttime visit, as well. He got over the embarrassment of remembering the names of every employee and their schedules soon enough; it makes things easier when he’s in a rush—everyone always knows his preferred drink order.

On this particular chilly autumn morning, Iris is working. She’s the younger sister of Ignis’s university roommate, Gladio, but she’s absolutely nothing like Gladio at all. She’s only sixteen, working part time to save up for college herself, but she’s incredibly friendly and  _ very _ peppy. She always leaves encouraging notes on Ignis’s cup sleeve, or sometimes badly designed foam art, which Ignis appreciates. The owners of the coffee shop, Sania and Dino (who Ignis is also on a first name basis with), absolutely adore her; Ignis can see why—he’s fairly certain no customer has ever complained about her sunny personality, except for perhaps her own brother. 

Sania is vaguely watching over Iris today, though she’s paying far more attention to the cafe’s plant collection than anything else. She’s also one of the university’s biology professors, but Ignis met her through the coffee shop alone. 

“Well, well, if it isn’t Tall and Handsome,” Sania teases, looking over her large, circular-framed purple glasses. 

“Good morning, Sania, you’re looking radiant as ever,” Ignis compliments, smiling at her. “How is the foliage?” 

Sania giggles. “You are always way too sweet. I’m thinking of giving this one a bit more sunlight...” She touches the leaves of a plant gently.

“You’re the expert,” Ignis says as he approaches the counter to greet Iris.

“Heya, Iggy,” Iris adds, waving with a smile. “You’re not my first customer today, I’m surprised.”

Ignis raises an eyebrow. He’s almost  _ always _ the first customer on Tuesdays and Thursdays, due to his  _ dreadful _ 7 A.M. class. 

“Is that so?” Ignis asks, putting a tip into her tip jar when she starts making his coffee drink without even saying a word.

Ignis looks around the shop to perhaps see what—or who—she’s referring to, when surely enough, he spots another person huddled in the corner of the shop, typing away on a tablet of some sort. He looks like another student, perhaps slightly younger than him by a year or two. Blond hair peeks out from underneath a dark red beanie hat, the dark grey cardigan over his shoulders complementing the color of it nicely. Even from here, Ignis can see the smearing of freckles along his nose and cheeks, with even a small amount on the skin of his hands that the fingerless gloves he’s wearing don’t cover up. He appears as if he’s concentrating on  _ something,  _ bottom lip tucked between his teeth adorably _ ; _ Ignis wonders if he has an early morning due date, as he’s never seen this particular individual in here before.

Ignis would have noticed him if he’d been in here before. He’s by far the most handsome man he’s ever seen.

The blond with the freckles seems to sense he’s being watched, as he looks up suddenly, a curious expression coloring his features. It’s only when they’re fixated directly on Ignis that he notices the beautiful stranger has bright periwinkle eyes, and Ignis can hardly bear to lock eyes for longer than a few moments.

Foolishly, Ignis turns around entirely, putting his back toward the stranger as he seems to be internally combusting. His heart is pounding what feels like three times faster than normal. He wonders if seeing this stranger will become routine; he isn’t sure if he’d prefer the blissful ignorance of not knowing someone so beautiful not only exists, but goes to this university, as well.

Iris is staring at Ignis when he turns around, amusement in her eyes. “You look kinda pale.”

“Hmm? What? Of course not, I’m quite alright,” Ignis insists. “Who is… that?”

“Uhh. Don’t quite remember his name yet. He’s been in here only twice, I think he’s an exchange student? He talks a lot,” Iris says warily. “I think Gladdy knows his roommate or something.”

“Do I know his roommate?” Ignis asks.

Iris shrugs. “Why? Do you got a problem with him?”

Well,  _ that’s _ certainly a loaded question; Ignis doesn’t  _ literally  _ have a problem with him. As far as Ignis knows, this man could be the kindest in the world. On the other hand, he had no idea entering his favorite coffee shop would cause life-threatening heart palpitations like this.

“Of course not, I’ve never met him,” Ignis answers neatly, dodging the issue entirely. “Mere curiosity, is all.”

Ignis finds himself wondering what the man’s name is, what he’s majoring in, who this mysterious  _ roommate _ of his is, and what he possibly could think of Ignis. He assumes he wouldn’t care for Ignis much; not many people do, and he finds that overly outgoing people rarely even give Ignis the time of day.

It doesn’t help that Ignis wishes he would, though. He’d love to give this mysterious stranger the time of day, and then again, he  _ also _ hopes he’ll never see him again, funnily enough.

“Iggy?” Iris asks, tone impatient as if she’s asked this question more than once.

“Hmm?” Ignis asks, blinking back into the present, her voice pulling him from his thoughts. He only then realizes that Iris is holding his coffee order out to him. “Oh. My thanks.”

Iris laughs. “You sure you’re okay? That’ll be 3.50, by the way.”

“Right. I’m fine, Iris, thank you,” Ignis says, paying the total with his phone pay. “You have a pleasant day.”

Ignis spins around, hoping to leave the coffee shop as quickly as possible, coffee clutched tightly in his grip. He takes a step forward, and runs right into something solid. He feels the sting of hot coffee splash down the entirety of his crimson button-up dress shirt.

“Oh—!” Ignis exclaims as he realizes he’s crashed right into the very man he was trying to get away from. “Bloody  _ hell.” _

Ignis finds himself with only a half-cup of coffee now, the hot liquid burning his skin through his shirt, now ruined, staring at a handsome stranger with complete humiliation. 

The freckled blond stranger’s eyebrows raise, gasping. “Holy shit, are you alright?” he asks, his tone higher than Ignis was anticipating; it somehow makes him even more adorable.

Ignis suddenly can’t find the proper words to say. He wants to blame it on the coffee, the surprise— _ anything _ but his attraction for the man in front of him, but he knows it’s likely that and nothing else.

“I, er…” Ignis trails off uselessly, trailing a gloved finger along his coffee stain. “I’m quite alright, I ought to be going…”

“Don’t you want another drink?” Iris asks from behind Ignis. “Looks like you lost a  _ lot _ on your shirt.”

Iris’s words somehow make things worse. Between her huffing out an innocent laugh behind him, and the handsome stranger reaching over to fetch some napkins for him, Ignis finds his cheeks warming with an embarrassed flush.

So much for a first impression. He probably looks like a total fool.

The blond holds out several napkins to Ignis, still wearing that look of surprise. “Sorry, I should’ve made myself known, didn’t know you’d be hurryin’ out of here so fast...”

Ignis doesn’t even know how to explain that the entire reason he was rushing to leave in the first place was because he didn’t want to draw any more attention to himself than necessary in front of the very blond he’s talking to. 

“It’s entirely my fault,” Ignis assures him, gratefully grabbing the napkins. “I ought to be going. Have a pleasant day.”

With the napkins thoroughly in Ignis’s vice grip, and his now  _ half _ -cup of coffee in the other hand, he doesn’t spare Iris, the blond, or even Sania another glance before he’s racing out the door. He nearly drops his coffee cup once more trying to juggle the napkins, cup, and the door handle all at once, to add more salt to the wound.

Ignis huffs out a sigh when the biting autumn breeze soothes the warmth flooding his cheeks.

“Well, I can never show my bloody face in there again,” Ignis laments to himself, heading as far down the sidewalk as he can before attempting to soak up as much coffee on his shirt as possible.

The handsome blond stranger likely thinks Ignis is an idiot, and there’s absolutely nothing he can do about it. He can only pray that, like before this morning, he’ll never see him again. 

Ignis doesn’t have time to run back to his campus flat and change before his class begins—he’s already pushing his luck. He supposes more humiliation will hardly matter at this point; he might as well attend class with the biggest coffee stain he’s ever seen on his shirt. What does it matter, anyway? It’s not like Ignis’s love life will ever improve at this rate.

Ignis’s thoughts wander during his chemistry lecture, which is unlike him—he’s usually fairly attentive with taking notes, but his mind isn’t in it today. Perhaps it’s because today’s lecture was one he already read about in the textbook, but he knows it’s definitely due to his mishap this morning with the blond stranger.

When Ignis’s phone buzzes in his pocket, he’s useless to resist the temptation to check it. He finds a text from his roommate.

**_Gladio (7:24 A.M.):_ ** _ lol iris told me u ate shit this mornin w/ ur coffee, u good? Havin a stroke? _

Ignis glares at his phone screen. Of  _ course _ Iris would immediately gossip to her older brother. Still, he wonders if she mentioned anything regarding the blond that he was obviously so affected by. How intuitive is a sixteen year-old barista?

**_Ignis (7:25 A.M):_ ** _ I spilled my coffee, nothing more. _

Gladio’s answering text is immediate. Ignis wonders if he’s got an early morning at the gym; it’s the only reason he’d be awake at this hour.

**_Gladio (7:27 A.M.):_ ** _ Iris thinks u have a crush on someone _

**_Gladio (7:28 A.M.):_ ** _ i have never seen u spill coffee a day in ur life _

Ignis sighs. He expected this kind of torment from one or both of them eventually, but not a mere half an hour after the incident happened. Besides, Ignis hasn’t said a word to anyone about his feelings.

**_Ignis (7:29 A.M.):_ ** _ I have no idea where you are getting this information. I am capable of spilling things, you know. I do it all the time. _

Gladio takes a moment to respond, and Ignis hopes that’s the end of it, when his phone buzzes a little later.

**_Gladio (7:35 A.M.):_ ** _ uh huh… do u got a thing for blonds?  _

Ignis drops his phone, the sound of it clattering loudly against the chemistry table. Several students look over at him in confusion, including the professor, and Ignis finds himself flushing once more, trying to fold in on himself to avoid anyone noticing the huge coffee stain on his shirt.

“Apologies,” Ignis says awkwardly, pushing his glasses up his nose.

The chemistry lesson continues smoothly, and everyone seems to forget about Ignis soon thereafter, but the added humiliation certainly doesn’t help. He’s never had so many clumsy incidents all at once, and he’s starting to  _ legitimately _ wonder if he may indeed be having a stroke, or some other sort of neurological problem.

**_Ignis (7:40 A.M.):_ ** _ I have absolutely nothing to say to you or Iris, you’re both nothing but horrid gossips. _

**_Ignis (7:41 A.M.):_ ** _ I’m making risotto tonight, if you’d care to have some. _

Ignis always knows he can distract Gladio with a free meal, and he hopes it’s a decent enough one to end this conversation and subject entirely,  _ permanently. _

**_Gladio (7:42 A.M.):_ ** _ ok u win this round, but don’t think i’m forgetting about this _

Ignis sighs. He can only hope Gladio will. He has to remind himself to steal Iris’s number from Gladio’s phone, if only to tell her to stop enabling her brother’s penchant for gossip.

The rest of classes go by at a sluggish pace, and Ignis is very grateful when the professor for his last class of the day—accounting—dismisses them all. He places his notebook and textbook in his messenger bag, and heads out of class.

The day has warmed only slightly, the breeze not as biting as it was this morning. Still, the autumn air is a bit crisp, and Ignis almost wishes he brought something warmer than his long-sleeve shirt to wear outside—especially when he has a huge coffee stain to cover up. He still can’t believe he wore it all day.

It’s over and done with now, he supposes. After all this time has passed, Ignis is fine with succumbing to his humiliation and putting it behind him. People spill coffee all the time, and Ignis doubts he’ll ever see that blond man again. 

He can even appreciate the pretty, vibrant autumn foliage all over campus, filling the trees and the ground underneath them. He’s always loved fall weather, and it’s a shame to ruin a beautiful day with all these thoughts of embarrassment.

Of course, the calm, rational thoughts fly out the window when Ignis hears a particular laugh that reminds him a  _ lot _ of the man he met earlier this morning in the coffee shop.

Ignis looks ahead of him, returning his attention to the sidewalk in front of him when he sees none other than the blond man from the coffee shop, his head thrown back as he walks side by side with a beautiful ash blonde woman with striking green eyes, hair pulled up into a neat ponytail. She seems older than him, but she seems to enjoy his company, smirking at something the blond man has said.

It’s no business of Ignis’s which company this stranger decides to keep, and what their relationship is. Still, the worry that they may be romantically involved tugs away at him, and he’s ashamed of it. It isn’t as if  _ Ignis _ ever had a chance with him, especially after the display he showed earlier.

Ignis wishes he was just about anywhere but here; he hopes he can duck his head and run past him without the blond even noticing. Perhaps he  _ is _ that forgettable, if only there wasn’t a huge coffee stain on his shirt, pointing him out worse than a target on his forehead.

Ignis moves to duck his head, curling his arms around his front to hide the coffee stain, when the blond man’s eyes lock with his. The blond’s eyes narrow for a brief moment in confusion, and then recognition colors his features.

The blond man grins wider than anything Ignis has ever seen, and it absolutely lights up the entire block with the brightness of it, nearly putting the sunshine to shame.

Ignis trips over nothing looking at it, stumbling awkwardly as his legs fail to keep up with the rest of his body. Of  _ course _ he would trip in front of this stranger, making him look like a complete klutz in front of him once  _ again. _ Ignis has never felt so embarrassed in all of his life. At least he didn’t fall hard enough to hit the ground; that would be even more humiliating.

The woman he was laughing with punches the blond man on his shoulder affectionately before turning down a side street and walking off. The blond briefly waves goodbye at her before jogging across the street to Ignis’s side of the block, stopping in front of him.

“Yo, man, you’re havin’ a bad day, aren’t you?” the blond asks with a soft laugh that nearly stops Ignis’s heart.

Ignis manages to stand up straight, composing himself only slightly. Flush still awkwardly colors his cheeks, judging by how warm he feels.

“It would appear so,” Ignis says avoidantly. “I assure you, I’m not nearly as clumsy as I seem.”

The blond smiles, not as bright as before, but more assuredly, which does a strangely excellent job of calming Ignis’s nerves.

“Nah, I get it. You definitely seem way more… uh, fancy? We all got our off days, though, one time I showed up to class in my chocobo boxers,” he says with a wink that has no business being as charming as it is.

Ah, so he  _ is  _ a student, though Ignis is fairly certain this man is lying; there’s no way someone as charming as him could do something so silly. Then again, perhaps his charm is  _ making _ silly things such as that appear charming.

“That’s certainly reassuring,” Ignis says stiffly. He doesn’t know how to keep up conversation with handsome men, and this stranger is no exception. “I really ought to head back home, but… I appreciate your concern.”

Ignis winces when he hears his own words. He sounds incredibly dismissive and rude, like the way he’d talk to his boss or something. He can’t help it; he’s always been horrid with social nuances when it comes to handsome strangers.

The blond seems to think nothing of it; he snickers a little as his periwinkle eyes search Ignis’s face. Ignis has never felt so thoroughly  _ looked _ at, and he’s suddenly worried about this stranger thinking too much into the flush on his face.

“Running off on me again, huh?” The blond smirks. “You took off this morning before I could offer you my jacket, at least cover up that stain, huh?”

Ignis’s eyebrows raise, and he only then realizes that the blond is wearing a red and white Letterman jacket. He didn’t see him in it this morning, but it could’ve easily been draped over the back of his chair at the coffee shop.

“Ah. You’re… on a sports team, no?” Ignis asks.

“Huh?” he asks, confusion on his features until he looks down at his own jacket.  _ “Oh. _ Well, kinda, but no. I run track, but I guess they just give these babies out now.” He tugs on the sleeve. “They’re super comfy, though. Lemme just…”

He starts shrugging out of the jacket, apparently with the intent still to give it to Ignis to cover up the stain.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly. It’s quite alright, I’ve managed to survive the day with the stain, I’m certain I only turned a  _ few _ heads,” Ignis says. “Truly, it’s—” 

The blond throws the jacket over Ignis’s shoulders, ignoring his words. “C’mon, it’s fine. It’s the least I can do after you ran off before I could buy ya a new cup.”

Ignis is met with a faint smell of cologne, and the warmth of the jacket over him. It’d be rude to return it to him now—at least that’s what Ignis tells himself as he allows his arms to slide into the sleeves. It’s even warmer once it’s fully on him, and it does an excellent job of concealing the ugly brown stain on his shirt.

“That’s… awfully kind of you, my thanks,” Ignis says softly.

The blond grins. “Hey, it suits you. Maybe you should get into sports. Or, hey, you can just keep it. Somethin’ to remember me by. Y’know, somethin’  _ other _ than a stain on your shirt.”

Ignis doesn’t have the heart to tell this man that there’s no possible way he’ll forget him now. His smile is forever burned into his mind, and there’s no turning back at this point.

Ignis finds himself laughing nervously. “I appreciate that. I actually am on a fencing team, however.” 

The blond’s eyebrows raise. “Fencing? Damn. Fancy.” He squints, his eyes traveling up and down Ignis’s body, which makes Ignis feel absolutely  _ obscene. _ “Yeah, I can see it. Picture perfect.” He snorts. 

Ignis feels his heart pick up in speed. He’s certain this man does this with everyone he meets, natural charm emanating from his very core, but Ignis hates to admit that it  _ works. _ He feels like the only man he’s ever spoken to. 

Ignis only then realizes he’s supposed to  _ respond _ to the man’s compliment. “Ah. Well, er, thank... You.” He pushes his glasses up his nose. “Thank you,” he corrects himself. He hates that he’s stumbled over himself  _ and _ his words once more. What else can he possibly stumble over? The man himself?

The blond’s eyes linger on Ignis for quite some time, and Ignis can only imagine how much he’s judging him for being an absolute fool around him. He smiles then, probably trying not to laugh out loud at Ignis—if he did, Ignis certainly couldn’t blame him.

“Your dorm around here?” the blond asks suddenly. “Sorry,  _ do _ you live on campus?”

It’s certainly not what Ignis expected him to say, that’s for certain. “I… a few blocks, give or take.”

The blond’s eyebrows raise. “Yeah? Want me to walk ya? Make sure you don’t trip over yourself again?”

Ignis mixes nerves with embarrassment, and realizes he should probably spare himself further humiliation. 

“That’s quite alright, I’ve taken up far too much of your time already,” Ignis tells him. “Thank you again for your jacket, it’s quite warm.”

The blond’s face falls. “Sure, no prob. I’ll leave you to it, then, yeah?”

“Grand. Farewell.”

Ignis hurries off in the direction of his flat, feeling a bit guilty that he’s managed to be  _ rude _ to the blond on top of everything else. He only then realizes that he never got the man’s name,  _ again, _ nor did he provide his own, so returning the jacket that’s currently hugging him firmly will prove rather trying. Perhaps he could leave it at the coffee shop in case he may ever return to it.

Ignis supposes that’s as good of a solution as any. He regrets denying the blond the chance to walk him home. Something about it seems terribly romantic, although he knows he’s the only one who would see it that way, which makes it lonelier than ever.

Ignis breathes a sigh of relief once he enters his flat. The blond didn’t follow him, not that he expected him to. The weight of his jacket is a heavy reminder of his existence, however; the very  _ opposite _ of what Ignis wants.

“You look traumatized,” Gladio says with a laugh, face stuffed full with cup noodles. “What’s with the jacket?”

Ignis hadn’t thought of what it would look like to Gladio. “Oh. It’s nothing. It’s cold out.”

Gladio is about as good of a college roommate as any of them would be. He isn’t the cleanest, nor the most considerate, but he  _ is _ good at dealing with Ignis’s morning routine and constant workload. He’s an excellent shoulder to cry on, and a very good friend. His feet, however, are currently propped up on their coffee table after constant reminders not to do so—it’s a give and take sort of friendship.

“You’re blushing. It’s not that cold out,” Gladio says. His eyes widen. “Wait. Are you getting laid?”

Ignis rolls his eyes as he walks past the coffee table. “Feet off, Gladio,” he warns before heading into the kitchen. “No. I had a dreadful day, as you’re well aware, and this man made it a lot worse.”

“And giving you his jacket is part of that?” Gladio teases.

Ignis shoots him a sharp look as he pulls some chicken out of the refrigerator to prep for the risotto. “ _ Yes.” _

Gladio rolls his eyes before laughing, spooning another generous helping of cup noodles into his mouth. Sometimes, Ignis swears he talks with his mouth full on  _ purpose. _

“You really are a drama gay,” Gladio decides to inform him. “So, what’s his name?”

Ignis lets out a soft sigh, thinking of the blond’s smile and the adorable constellation of freckles that come with it. He wishes so much he could see all of his hair—he only knows what it looks like tucked underneath a beanie. He then remembers what an utter fool he made of himself in front of him, and he nearly drops the raw chicken right on the floor. 

“I don’t know it, and I sincerely doubt I will ever find out. I’m going out of my way so I can specifically never see him again, because I made a complete idiot out of myself,” Ignis laments.

Gladio stands and tosses his empty noodle cup in the garbage. He pats Ignis on the shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll be sending you nudes by the weekend, don’t worry. You spillin’ coffee on yourself is probably still graceful as hell by your standards.”

“I also tripped. And nearly dropped my coffee cup.  _ And _ I can’t form a complete sentence.” Ignis frowns. “It’s utterly hopeless.”

“Damn. You really might be having a stroke,” Gladio says. “Maybe we should take you to a neurologist.”

“Perhaps,” Ignis allows. “But for now, I will wallow in self-pity like the rest.”

Gladio looks as if he’s trying very hard not to burst into laughter. He pulls out a knife instead. “I’ll chop some veggies for ya.”

It’s Gladio’s way of showing support, and Ignis has to admit he’s touched. 

The rest of the evening comes without incident, and his Self-Pity Chicken Risotto actually came out rather good, judging by the obscene moans that tumbled from Gladio’s mouth every time he took a bite.

Despite Ignis’s plan to never see the blond again, he showers and heads to bed thinking of his smile, and the way his eyes fixated on Ignis, even if only for a moment. The color of his eyes alone could send Ignis’s heart into overdrive. His eyes fall on the letter jacket that he gave him, now draped over the back of his computer chair. 

“Gods, this is the worst,” Ignis bemoans to himself before crawling into bed. 

At least he made a decent risotto out of it.

———- 

Ignis wakes up in the morning with a fresher sense of resolve. He has no 7 A.M. class to attend—merely a noon one instead—and realizes before he plans to avoid the mysterious blond stranger he made a fool of himself in front of yesterday, he owes it to him to return his jacket, at the very least.

It’s only about the jacket, of course, nothing else.

Ignis dresses himself in a plum turtleneck with a tan jacket, taking the weather a bit more seriously today. (Gladio informed him one night that purple looked good on him, and therefore the color choice of his shirt is certainly no coincidence. Ignis has no trouble admitting that he’s desperate.)

Ignis prays to the Astrals themselves that he doesn’t make a fool of himself in front of anyone, least of all the blond stranger, should he ever see him again. He’ll be certain to take care of any coffee in his hand or around him, as well as watch out for anything to trip over, including his own words.

Ignis tries to contain his disappointment when he enters  _ Cure for Insomnia _ to find the place empty of any adorable freckled, blond young men. He supposes that’s better for his self-esteem; if he’s not there, he absolutely can’t reject Ignis in any way.

“Oh, hey, you’re back,” Iris greets from behind the counter.

“Do you ever get a day off?” Ignis teases. “Gladio informed me you told him yesterday about what happened.”

Iris’s cheeks turn a bit pink, avoiding Ignis’s gaze in favor of making him coffee.

“I mean, he asked me about my day, and you were the most interesting part at the time,” Iris says offhandedly. “Sorry.”

“You two are gossips,” Ignis informs her.

“Maybe. Did you come back for coffee or for Prompto?” Iris teases.

_ Prompto. _

Prompto, Prompto, Prompto.

“Prompto…?” Ignis clarifies.

Iris levels a pointed look at Ignis as she pours his coffee. “Don’t play dumb. I’ve never seen you act so weird before. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”

_ Prompto. _ Ignis revels in the thought of learning his name. It seems rather fitting for such a seemingly energetic young man, and he’s so happy he doesn’t have to think of him as ‘the blond’ any longer. 

“I’ve never met him before in my life, as I said before,” Ignis reminds her. “I haven’t the foggiest as to what you’re referring to. And he isn’t here, so…”

Iris grins as she hands him his drink. “I mean, he’s provin’ to be a regular. He’ll probably be in today.”

“How is it that I’ve never seen him, then?” Ignis asks, blowing on the hot coffee. He places a tip in her jar as usual.

“Exchange student, remember, silly?” Iris says. She eyes the tip jar. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Ignis says. No matter how much Iris gossips, she makes excellent coffee, and Ignis  _ always _ tips. “What else have you gathered about this Prompto, hmm?”

“Well… he usually brings his tablet or laptop, but he’s  _ always _ got a camera. He’s kinda… popular? But not an ass like some popular people who come in here. He’s just friendly with everyone. Other than that, I got nothin’. Gimme like, a few weeks, and I’ll have his whole life story for ya, Romeo.”

Ignis feels his cheeks warm once more. “Again, I haven’t the foggiest what you mean.”

With that, Ignis heads over to the mixing station, where all the sugars, creams, and flavoring for the coffee are kept. Ignis doesn’t mind leaving his drink black, of course, but sometimes a bit of sugar is nice.

The door to the cafe swings open, and a very familiar face walks in, humming and singing loudly. There’s no beanie on his head today, his fluffy, soft-looking blond hair teased up, bangs partially covering his face. Today, a dark blue denim jacket with a hood appears to be his wardrobe, and Ignis is starting to gather that he can make any fashion look good. He’s wearing a grin wider than ever, and Ignis feels his heart slow and speed up all at once.

_ Prompto. _

Ignis has no idea how someone can be  _ that  _ level of a morning person while still smiling and looking so handsome; he’ll never be able to compete with that.

Ignis distracts himself by grabbing the nearest sugar packet and preoccupying himself with stirring—or perhaps  _ over  _ stirring _ — _ his coffee _. _

“Heya, Iris,” Prompto greets cheerfully. “How ya doin’ today?”

Ignis doesn’t dare look up, apart from stealing a few glances at Prompto’s profile. He pours another sugar packet into his coffee for lack of something better to do; it’ll have to make do until he can sneak his way out of the shop. He’s far too flustered to say anything to Prompto at this rate; he hadn’t anticipated Prompto looking  _ this _ handsome.

“Great. What can I get for you?” Iris asks pleasantly, looking over at Ignis briefly, a teasing look in her eyes.

Ignis knows  _ exactly _ why she did it; it’s only to bring Prompto’s attention to him, and he curses her internally. She’s absolutely  _ too _ much for a sixteen year-old. Ignis aggressively pays attention to stirring his coffee now, grabbing another packet of sugar to make himself look even busier. He supposes his coffee will be super sweet today.

“Eh, surprise me!” Prompto says.

Ignis continues pouring the sugar into the cup, stirring as he goes, heart thudding when Prompto starts humming again.

“Huh. Salty coffee, eh?” Prompto asks, voice suddenly much closer.

Ignis looks up, likely resembling a deer in headlights as he realizes Prompto is now standing in front of him, leaning against one of the tables.

“Beg pardon?”

Prompto nods toward the empty packets. “You’re pouring salt in your coffee, dude. I support you though. Handsome dudes always have their quirks.” He starts whistling absentmindedly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he waits for Iris to finish making his drink.

Ignis’s heart skyrockets as he looks down and finds that he is, in fact, stirring salt packets into his coffee instead of sugar. The packets are the same color, and as distracted as Ignis was as soon as Prompto walked into the cafe, it makes far too much sense why he’d be mixing salt in his coffee instead of sugar.

“Fuck,” Ignis bemoans, too embarrassed to be polite in front of Prompto and Iris.

It’s not lost on Ignis that Prompto did just call him  _ handsome. _ He’s terrified to even lift the coffee cup, lest it spill all over him again. He was likely just being courteous—after all, you can’t exactly compliment the  _ intellect _ of someone accidentally pouring salt into their coffee, so looks are essentially all that’s left.

Still.  _ Handsome. _ Ignis preens under the praise, despite every other negative emotion meshing with it.

Ignis looks up at Prompto again, who’s now grinning.

“So, I’m guessin’ you  _ weren’t _ doing that on purpose?” Prompto teases. “Also, way to go with the F bomb, man, I was startin’ to think you were a robot.”

Ignis isn’t certain how Prompto would come to  _ that _ conclusion; after all, robots aren’t particularly clumsy, nor do they flush in front of handsome strangers.

“I—no, it was not on purpose,” Ignis says, annoyed at his own idiocy. He sighs. “I should…” He looks at the door, hoping it can give him some mercy from embarrassing himself further in front of Prompto. “... _ go.” _

“Without some more coffee?” Prompto points out. “C’mon, I’ll get ya another one. I’ll hide the salt this time.” He winks.

Ignis tries not to fawn over the wink, but he can’t exactly help it; Prompto’s face was made for them, it seems, and it certainly has its intended effect. Ignis feels flushed under his turtleneck collar, suddenly much too warm in here for his own good. He wouldn’t be surprised if he started cartoonishly sweating at this rate.

Ignis chuckles humorlessly. “That’s quite alright, I clearly am not in the right mindset for coffee,” he bemoans, hoping that he’s at least maintained a little bit of dignity.

“Hmm. Well, you seem like an old-fashioned sort of dude, right? What if I insist? C’mon.” Prompto reaches out, tugging on Ignis’s arm. “I  _ insist.” _ He provides a poor imitation of Ignis’s accent while bowing dramatically, which somehow makes it even more frustratingly adorable.

Ignis can’t deny that he likes the way Prompto’s hand grips his arm. He nods, swallowing his pride. “Very well.”

Prompto beams. “Sweet!” 

They walk over to the counter just as Iris is putting what looks like the finishing touches on Prompto’s drink. She eyes them both curiously, a smirk on her face.

“Hello, Miss Iris,” Prompto says, laying it on pretty thick, “think I could buy another of what my friend here was drinkin’?”

Iris snorts. “Drink it that fast, huh? I knew you liked coffee, but jeez…”

Ignis feels the flush deepen on his face as he looks away. Usually, he’d have a witty remark for her, but the presence of Prompto seems to limit him.

“Can’t get enough,” Ignis says dryly, pushing his glasses up his nose. “I’d be rather salty without it.”

Prompto throws his head back and laughs, and it almost feels as if they’re sharing an inside joke. Ignis has to admit that he absolutely loves it. 

“Sure. I’ll get you another one,” Iris says, rolling her eyes fondly.

“Thanks, li’l lady!” Prompto says, saluting her.

While Iris gets busy with another drink for Ignis, the silence between Ignis and Prompto grows rather loud. Ignis scrambles to find the proper conversation starter, and fails. Somehow, no question in the world would seem appropriate enough to show his interest.

“So…” Prompto starts for him, almost as if reading his mind. “What’s your major?”

Ignis locks eyes with Prompto, mesmerized by the color of them, particularly combined with the pretty freckles on his face. He not only forgets his own major, but also forgets his own name.

“Freckles,” Ignis blurts without thinking.

It’s a moment of horror for Ignis, really. He heard himself say it, almost in slow motion, and yet here it is, spoken into the world, lingering between them. It’s not as if Ignis can correct himself. He didn’t merely misspeak; he managed to let Prompto know  _ exactly _ what’s on his mind—the very man himself.

Iris breaks the ice by sliding their drinks forward on the counter. Prompto blinks with surprise, and starts laughing as he pulls his wallet out of the back of his pocket.

“What?” Prompto snickers. “Freckles?”

Ignis searches his mind for anything to say or do to avoid this conversation entirely. He glances at the clock on the wall and backtracks.

“Oh. Drat, I’m late for a lecture. I really must be going. I shall speak with you another time,” Ignis says quickly, turning to head for the door. “Have a pleasant day!” 

“Hey, wait—” Prompto starts, but Ignis is already out the door.

It isn’t until Ignis is about a block past the cafe that he realizes he didn’t offer to pay Prompto back for his drink, didn’t even take his drink with him,  _ and _ Prompto’s letter jacket is still draped over his arm, not returned to its owner.

Perhaps Gladio is right; Ignis is very certainly on the verge of some sort of stroke.

——— 

Ignis’s one and only class for the day dragged on much slower than normal, despite usually enjoying its lessons; culinary classes tend to be his favorite. Still, far too much happened today for him to be able to focus. When he’s dismissed, he honestly can’t wait to leave.

Ignis is terrible without his morning coffee, to say the very least, and today he had absolutely none. 

When Ignis exits class, however, he stops right in his tracks as soon as he sees who is leaning on the steps leading to the building.

Prompto’s standing next to an attractive blonde woman—a different one from yesterday—and affectionately punching her shoulder as they laugh together. She waves her hand dismissively at him, apparently playfully annoyed with something he said. Ignis recognizes her from his chemistry class, but they’ve not spoken directly much; her name is Cindy. He had no idea she was friends with Prompto, or at least on her way to be.

Ignis doesn’t usually notice the company one keeps, but it seems to him that Prompto’s company is usually women. He can’t say that he blames any of them, but it does make him wonder if Prompto fancies men at all. That’d be just Ignis’s luck; then again, he didn’t have much luck to begin with.

Ignis still feels the weight of Prompto’s letter jacket draped over his arm, but he assumes this isn’t a good time to return it to him when he’s… busy like this. He has no idea how Prompto coincidentally found himself here of all places on campus, but Ignis can chalk that up to dumb luck as well.

Ignis is just about to turn around and take a different way to his flat when Cindy’s eyes fall on Ignis, recognition in her eyes. Ignis stiffens as he watches Cindy elbow Prompto pointedly.

“Hey, here’s Ignis—that’s who you were lookin’ fer, right?” Cindy asks, her heavy country accent as prominent as ever.

Prompto’s head snaps toward her in the blink of an eye, immediately following her line of sight. His eyes lock with Ignis’s, absolutely holding him hostage. Ignis’s heart thuds in his chest, heartbeat racing even faster once Prompto grins knowingly at him.

“Perfect! I owe you a million, Cindy,” Prompto says, throwing his fist out for her to bump with her own.

Cindy snorts. “Anytime.”

Prompto directs his attention to Ignis mostly now, pushing himself off the step railing with his feet. He closes the distance between himself and Ignis, and Ignis is so taken off guard, the phone he’s holding slips right out of his grip, heading toward the ground.

Prompto’s hand shoots out instantly, catching the phone with one hand. He laughs softly, holding it out to Ignis, palm outstretched.

It’s safe to say Ignis is more than thoroughly impressed; it takes incredibly fast reflexes to catch something so instinctively. Ignis, who is quite confident in his reflexive skills, didn’t even think to try to catch it in time.

Ignis pushes his glasses up his nose, feeling his cheeks warm once more now that he’s in the proper presence of Prompto. He tries to ignore Cindy standing nearby, not wanting to look like an idiot in front of a classmate, as well.

“My thanks,” Ignis says, taking the phone. Their fingers brush, and Ignis absolutely notices how soft and warm Prompto’s fingers are, even through their gloves. “I’ll allow you two to get back to it.”

“Huh?” Prompto asks, face falling. He looks over at Cindy. “Hey, tell ‘Nea I said hi, won’t ya? Thanks a lot, Cindy.”

“You got it,” Cindy says, winking at him. “Howdy, Ignis.”

“Good afternoon, Cindy,” Ignis says politely as he watches her head off. He almost wants to beg her to stay, if only to act as a buffer so Ignis doesn’t make an utter fool of himself in front of Prompto— _ again. _

“Is there something I can do for you?” Ignis asks confusedly, wondering why he sent her off when he was clearly having a good time with her.

“Let me walk you. You heading back home?” Prompto asks, clearly not thinking anything of it.

“I am, but you really don’t need to,” Ignis assures him. 

“I wanted to talk to ya,” Prompto says. “But if you don’t want me to…”

Ignis is nothing if not a masochist. “No, of course you may, if you’d like.” He finally thrusts the jacket he’s been carrying all day forward. “I meant to give this to you this morning…”

Prompto’s face spreads into a half-smile, taking the jacket from Ignis. “Yeah, you were in a hurry this mornin’, huh?” he asks as they start to head down the steps to the sidewalk.

“Yes, I don’t like to make a habit of being tardy,” Ignis explains.

Prompto nods. “I gotcha. Look, that’s kinda what I wanted to talk to you about… um… I’m not totally great with bein’ a serious guy or anything, but I wanted to… apologize?”

This certainly gets Ignis’s attention. He can’t think of anything Prompto needs to apologize for. In fact, it’s almost as if  _ Ignis _ should apologize for constantly running from him.

“Oh?” Ignis asks finally, an eyebrow raised. “What for?”

“I was just having some fun with you, but I didn’t intend for you to take it personally or anything. So, like, I’m sorry if you thought I was making fun of you? Or if I crossed a line. ‘Cause, dude, trust me, no one’s a bigger klutz than me. I’d be an ass if I made fun of anyone. I think college brings out everyone’s salt-in-coffee days. I was tryin’ to make you feel comfy and I guess it backfired? ‘Cause you took off super fast, and I felt like a dick…” Prompto sighs hard enough to blow his bangs out from his eyes. “So, sorry. Truce?”

Ignis looks over at him, entirely dumbfounded. “You thought you upset me?”

Prompto nods vehemently. “Yep. Did I… not? Not gonna lie, you’re  _ super _ hard to read, man.”

Ignis accidentally huffs out a laugh, smiling despite himself. He can’t exactly admit that he ran off because he was embarrassed. 

“I truly was late to class, nothing more.” A small white lie certainly won’t hurt things, right? At least Ignis  _ hopes _ so.

Prompto lets out another long sigh, this time of relief. “Oh, man, thank  _ Gods. _ I thought I managed to get you to hate me in a record time of 24 hours.” He laughs before biting his lip.

“No,” Ignis says, still slightly amused, unable to stop smiling. “That’d be a rather silly thing to hate someone for.”

It’s quiet between them for a moment, which causes Ignis to look over. He finds Prompto staring at him with a slightly vacant expression, his eyes locked on his smile, forming one of his own. Prompto looks away sheepishly as soon as he’s caught staring. 

“You’ve got a nice smile,” Prompto tells him softly. “It looks great on you.”

Ignis’s stomach flutters with butterflies, and he knows the flush on his cheeks is likely permanent at this rate. 

“Oh, er… thank you,” Ignis mumbles awkwardly. He has no idea why Prompto would bother complimenting him, when he has apparently  _ plenty _ to choose from. “Was that your girlfriend back there? Cindy?”

Ignis regrets asking as soon as the words leave his lips; for one, it’s  _ far _ too nosy, and for two, it makes Ignis appear incredibly desperate. Ignis  _ may _ be both of those, but he doesn’t exactly want to  _ show _ it.

Prompto’s brow furrows in confusion, the question seemingly taking him entirely off guard. “What?” he scoffs. “Wait,  _ Cindy? _ My  _ girlfriend?” _

Humiliation tugs away at Ignis incessantly, but he tries to swallow it down. “Yes… you looked awfully close.”

“Nah, man, I just got here a few weeks ago,” Prompto explains. “And, uh, Cindy’s about the biggest lesbian on campus. Surprised you don’t know. Well, maybe other than her girlfriend, Aranea, but… that doesn’t matter.”

Ignis hates that he’s relieved. He wonders if Aranea was the other woman he saw Prompto with yesterday; not that it matters much,  _ nor  _ is it any of his business. He doesn’t bother asking.

“Ah. I see. We don’t talk much, but she’s always been kind,” Ignis says. “She’s in my chemistry class…”

“Yeah, she mentioned that! I was whining after you left about wanting to apologize to you, and once I described you, she knew exactly who you were, and said you guys shared a class together and could show me what building you’re usually at,” Prompto explains. He wiggles his eyebrows in a playfully seductive manner. “Cooking class, huh?”

“Yes, I major in culinary arts,” Ignis says. 

“So… not freckles, huh?”

Ignis can’t help but laugh. “Not freckles, no. Apologies, I’ve had a trying day.”

“You seem to have a lot of those. You got a lot of stress, huh? Is culinary school that hard?”

Ignis can’t exactly explain that his trying days lately are attributed to a certain attractive blond standing right next to him.

“It has its moments,” Ignis says. “I have a rather demanding job, as well. I’m also working on a minor in business, on top of that.”

Prompto’s eyes widen. “Whoa, what? You’re doin’ all that? And you don’t even have eye bags? How do you  _ do _ it?”

“Coffee,” Ignis says simply with a chuckle. 

“That’s why you’re there so much,” Prompto says. “Iris said you’re in there, like, every day.”

“I’m nothing if not predictable. Something has to keep me up working on papers and finals,” Ignis notes. “My work doesn’t allow me much sleep, you see.”

Ignis hates that he’s oversharing; it doesn’t help that Prompto is effortless to talk to. He has no idea why he was so nervous to for so long. The nerves are still there, but Prompto’s personality puts him entirely at ease, for some reason.

“Yeah, you seem smart,” Prompto says. “That makes sense.’

“I’m uncertain if that’s a good or a bad thing, but I’ll take it.”

“Good. Definitely good, man,” Prompto says, raising his hands in surrender.

Ignis gazes at Prompto for far longer than socially appropriate. “You mentioned only being here a few weeks? Did you transfer?”

“Yeah, I came here from Niflheim University, though… keep that on the downlow, people don’t like that school much here,” Prompto whispers.

“My lips are sealed. I never understood collegiate rivalry, I must admit,” Ignis says. “Welcome to Insomnia.”

Prompto beams. “Glad you’re not one of the dicks.”

“As far as you know,” Ignis teases.

“Nah, I got a pretty good judge of character. You seem great.”

It’s not a particularly stellar or noteworthy compliment, but Ignis’s heart treats it as such—it’s as if Prompto proposed marriage instead of merely calling him ‘great.’ Ignis feels his foot catch on a crack in the sidewalk, Prompto effectively distracting him from watching where he’s going. He starts to stumble forward, when Prompto’s arms shoot out to wrap around him.

Ignis doesn’t fall, but Prompto’s arms are firmly around his waist, warm and secure. Ignis flushes, gazing into Prompto’s eyes with soft surprise.

“Likewise,” Ignis says softly. “Apologies, I’m not good on my feet this week, apparently.”

“Don’t worry, I got ya,” Prompto says with a wink. “Maybe I should…” he uncurls his arms from Ignis’s waist, and links their arms together instead, “...take extra precautions.”

Prompto’s arm feels wonderful linked with his, perfectly curled around his own, like it belongs there—like it was made for him. 

“My hero,” Ignis teases shyly, hoping Prompto doesn’t ever let go of him. 

They walk like that for the rest of the way, a comfortable silence falling between them. Ignis has always enjoyed a decent walk, particularly in the spring and autumn when the weather is cool but not  _ too _ cool. The dorms and campus apartments are slowly starting to decorate with autumn and Halloween flair, pumpkins and orange lights slowly lining porches and windows, multicolored leaves lining the ground and the trees. It’s an aesthetic he’s always been fond of, and he dangerously allows himself to imagine what it’d be like to walk every day with Prompto, holding his arm not unlike they are now, and kissing his cheek should they ever have to part.

They’d been walking and talking for so long, Ignis hadn’t realized until now that they’ve already reached Ignis’s flat. Coincidentally, Gladio heads up the steps to their apartment as well, meeting them in the middle. Gladio’s freshly showered and carrying his gym bag, so it’s no mystery where he spent his time.

Prompto seems surprised when Gladio heads to the same door that Ignis is, and he looks on with confusion. When they all stop and stare at each other, Ignis realizes he should probably introduce them all to avoid confusion.

“Ah, hello Gladio,” Ignis remarks. “Prompto, this is my Gladio, you may call him roommate—” His eyes widen once he realizes his slip-up; he was doing just fine with conversation earlier, and now he’s gone and made a mess of it all over again. Perhaps the presence of Gladio has worsened his nerves.

Gladio bursts into laughter, showing Ignis absolutely no mercy. He reaches out and places a friendly hand on Prompto’s shoulder. Prompto starts to smile as well, looking at Ignis curiously.

“Don’t mind him,” Gladio assures Prompto, “he’s a complete disaster around dudes he likes, apparently. Thought he was having a stroke last night.”

Horror floods through Ignis. He knows that Gladio prides himself on being a wingman at all opportunities possible, but he never thought he’d go forth and  _ say _ something right to Prompto’s face. Ignis feels his cheeks warm as he shoots Gladio a death glare.

“Apologies, Gladio’s favorite pastime is humiliating me,” Ignis explains. “Do go inside before your delusions escalate to thinking the world is flat…?”

Prompto’s wearing a thorough look of surprise, and combined with the smirk on his face, he seems to find this all funny—at the very least, he isn’t heading for the hills, but it still stings to learn that Prompto likely thinks Ignis is a joke of all things.

Gladio rolls his eyes and says, “Ignore him.”

Prompto laughs at both of them finally. “Y’all are great. I don’t think I gotta worry about any of that… Iggy runs away from me every chance he gets.” He winks. 

“Yeah, don’t take it personally,” is all Gladio says. 

“Must we stop this gossip?” Ignis asks tiredly. 

Prompto locks eyes with Ignis for a long moment, as if searching for something he can’t quite find. He waves at him dismissively. 

“No sweat, dude. I ought to get goin’, but…” He looks at Gladio, “maybe I’ll see you at the gym sometime, huh? I think your name was Roommate?” Prompto snickers, throwing finger guns at him.

“That’s me,” Gladio says with a grin. “Sounds good. Nice to meet ya.” 

Of course Prompto and Gladio would get along while Ignis is wallowing in his own humiliation. 

“Farewell,” Ignis says quickly before heading inside. If they’re going to bond over how foolish they think Ignis is, he doesn’t want to be anywhere near it.

Ignis heads into the kitchen for some leftovers; he isn’t in the mood to cook tonight. Prompto and Ignis had such a lovely conversation, only for it to be ruined. He knows he mostly has himself to blame, but Gladio certainly didn’t help.

After a few moments, Ignis hears the front door shut once more, and it isn’t long before Gladio appears in the entrance of the kitchen, a hand on his hip.

“Alright, what’s eating you?” Gladio asks. “You left that kid high and dry on our porch.”

“Why did you do that?” Ignis asks, a bit annoyed.

“Do what?”

“Don’t pretend to be stupid, Gladio,” Ignis chastises. “Why would you tell him… that I’m…” He gestures vaguely, “ _ fond _ of him?”

Gladio snickers. “‘Cause you are? What’s the big deal? Why beat around the bush?”

“That may work for you, but I’m not you,” Ignis says, shoving the risotto in the microwave.

“So what? D’you seriously think that dude isn’t into you? He followed you home like a puppy.” Gladio rolls his eyes. “He definitely wasn’t there for  _ me.” _

“I made an idiot of myself, and then you went and made it worse. He was just being polite.”

“Okay, now who’s playin’ dumb?” Gladio says. “That dude? He’s into you. He’s practically  _ begging _ for your attention. And you’re an idiot for thinkin’ he isn’t, and you’re even more of an idiot for thinking you’re not attractive or charming or whatever the hell bullshit you’re on.”

Ignis frowns. “You’re only saying that because you’re my best friend.”

“Yeah, I’m your best friend, and I’m also a man…? With eyes…? You have no idea how many people are into you, dude.” Gladio shakes his head fondly.

“Well, if that were true, I’d assume I’d hear from at least  _ someone _ about it,” Ignis points out, stirring the risotto before placing it back inside the microwave.

“You’ve always got your nose buried in your books. You’ve got a resting bitch face. Everyone’s so intimidated by you they have no idea how to read you.”

Ignis remembers the conversation he had with Prompto, and how Prompto indicated that Ignis was  _ hard to read. _ He swallows, realizing that perhaps he doesn’t make himself as friendly and available as he originally thought. 

“I practically confessed to him the past few days,” Ignis says softly. “I made a complete fool out of myself.”

“Look, I dunno what you did, and I dunno him, but I’m  _ pretty _ sure he just thinks it’s adorable. And, I mean, it  _ is.” _

Ignis pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’m not well-versed in this sort of thing. I’m not like you.”

Gladio laughs, reaching out to massage Ignis’s shoulders. It melts the stress and tension away, and he relaxes into his friend’s touch.

“I know that,” Gladio says. “But you just gotta be you. Pretty sure he’s diggin’ that. He’s already eatin’ out of the palm of your hand. You didn’t see him watch you leave, but man. Took him a while just to get him to walk away even when you were long gone.”

Ignis feels flush warm his cheeks once more. He wants to believe Gladio, but it’s not exactly easy to change one’s entire viewpoint of themselves in one fell swoop. He’s always felt that he’s too much for most to handle, especially to someone like Prompto, who appears so carefree. On the other hand, he knows Gladio wouldn’t lie to him about specifics; he very much wishes he could see Prompto’s face when he left.

“Well, if I ever see him again, I’ll be certain to open up,” Ignis says with a sigh.

“Good.” Gladio pats his back. “You got this. Just don’t be an idiot about it.”

“Too late,” Ignis says. “It’s… difficult. The more I get to know him, the worse it is.”

“That’s a good thing, ain’t it?” Gladio says. “It would suck to get a crush on a dude that turned out to be a dick.”

“We’ve all been there,” Ignis laments. “Thank you, Gladio… I do apologize for being a bit too harsh with you.”

“I should’ve gotten your permission to spill the beans, but for what it’s worth, I think he’s too dumb to realize I was serious,” Gladio says with a laugh. “It’s like you guys were made for each other.”

Ignis rolls his eyes. “Thanks for that.” The microwave beeps, effectively ending their conversation. His risotto is warm enough, so he grabs a glass of wine before heading into his bedroom. “Goodnight, Gladio.”

“See ya tomorrow,” Gladio says, pulling a beer out of the fridge.

Ignis sits on his bed and starts shoveling the risotto in his mouth, hoping to eat as much of his feelings as possible. His phone buzzes on the bed, but he ignores it in favor of eating, as it’s likely just an email or a text from a classmate.

Ignis finishes his meal and reaches for his phone, raising an eyebrow when he sees that the text is from an unknown number.

**_5853234 (8:34 P.M.):_ ** _ heya, i hope this isn’t weird _

**_5853234 (8:34 P.M.):_ ** _ shit i pressed send _

**_5853234 (8:35 P.M.):_ ** _ shit i did it again!! Sorry this is prompto lol _

Ignis can’t help but smile, though he has no idea how Prompto even got his phone number in the first place. He’s too infatuated to think it’s strange, especially when he seems to be on equally disastrous footing as Ignis was earlier.

**_5853234 (8:36 P.M.):_ ** _ i got ur number from my roomie who knows ur roomie, i promise im not a creep lol _

Ignis’s smile widens as he saves Prompto’s contact information onto his phone. He doesn’t find Prompto creepy in the slightest, though he knows he’s a bit biased about this. Ignis turns onto his side, feeling like an idiot for grinning at his phone.

**_Ignis (8:38 P.M.):_ ** _ Well, this is certainly a surprise. I don’t find you creepy, don’t worry. I had no idea our roommates knew each other. Who is yours? _

**_Prompto (8:40 P.M.):_ ** _ oh thank gods. His name is noct! Him and ur roomie used to go to high school together or somethin like that _

Ignis is surprised. He had no idea Prompto was familiar with Noctis, let alone living with him; Ignis has known Noctis since he was a fairly young child, as Ignis’s family works for Noctis’s family.

**_Ignis (8:42 P.M.):_ ** _ I know Noct very well. I work for his father. How did you come about being his roommate? _

**_Prompto (8:44 P.M.):_ ** _ oh shit rly? He didnt mention that… i kinda wanted the public dorm experience and noct offered me his empty space when i met him at the arcade, legit the night i transferred here officially _

**_Prompto (8:45 P.M.):_ ** _ shit was wild, but i guess i move pretty fast ;) lol _

Ignis tries desperately not to read too much into the winking face Prompto has sent him, but it’s a little difficult when it’s meshed with those particular words.

**_Ignis (8:47 P.M.):_ ** _ I’m quite surprised we haven’t met before this, if you’ve been living with Noct for a few weeks now. _

**_Prompto (8:48 P.M.):_ ** _ yeah im kinda shy, believe it or not, i dont wanna force myself on him when he says hes goin to hang out w friends… even when he says its ok LOL _

**_Ignis (8:49 P.M.):_ ** _ I can understand that. The friends that he mentions are myself and Gladio, of course. _

**_Prompto (8:50 P.M.):_ ** _ yeeeaaah im startin to gather that… small world dude _

Ignis remembers what Gladio said about being forward and honest about himself, so he figures he should at least hint to Prompto about the way he feels to receive texts from him.

**_Ignis (8:51 P.M.):_ ** _ It certainly is. For the record, I’d be delighted to spend time with you, either with the others or alone. _

**_Ignis (8:52 P.M.):_ ** _ I’m quite happy to receive a text from you. _

Ignis puts down his phone and buries his face in his pillow for a moment. He’s not used to being vulnerable; he very much prides himself on bottling every vulnerable emotion and locking it away. To be this forward isn’t easy at all, but it’s certainly worth it—he feels his heart pounding as soon as the messages send.

**_Prompto (8:54 P.M.):_ ** _ woah, really? I like hanging out with u a lot iggy. Can i call u iggy? _

Ignis can’t help but smile.

**_Ignis (8:55 P.M.):_** _You certainly may._

**_Prompto (8:57 P.M.):_ ** _ so like… the reason i wanted to txt u is cuz i wanted to ask if u wanted to meet me at the coffee shop tomorrow? Maybe afternoon or somethin, if you don’t have class? _

Ignis’s heart flies at the text. Prompto  _ wants _ to see Ignis again; perhaps Gladio wasn’t half wrong after all.

**_Ignis (8:58 P.M.):_ ** _ I have another 7 A.M. class, but I will be free by the afternoon. Did you have a particular time in mind? Anytime after noon works for me. _

Prompto’s response is near immediate, and it flatters Ignis a bit. No matter Prompto’s intentions with him, it’s clear that he’s enthusiastic to continue to talk with him. Ignis wishes he spent more time bidding him goodbye tonight.

**_Prompto (9:00 P.M.):_ ** _ does 1 work for u then? _

**_Ignis (9:02 P.M.):_ ** _ That would be grand. _

**_Prompto (9:03 P.M.):_ ** _ it’s so cute, i can hear ur texts in ur accent lol _

**_Prompto (9:04 P.M.):_ ** _ i got a project that’s due in the morning, so i should probably work on that, but… i cant wait to see u! _

Ignis sighs wistfully. There’s no mistaking Prompto’s interest—it’s not every day when Ignis is called cute, after all. He wishes he could stay up all night texting Prompto, but he’d likely end up saying something foolish, so he supposes it’s for the best.

**_Ignis (9:05 P.M.):_ ** _ I’m happy to entertain. Good luck with your project, and I find myself excited to see you as well. _

**_Ignis (9:06 P.M.):_ ** _ Goodnight, Prompto. _

Ignis puts his phone on the charger, knowing he should head to bed so he isn’t  _ entirely _ exhausted for his morning class. The urge to text Prompto just  _ once _ more tugs away at him, but he tries his best to ignore it. 

This man will surely be the death of him.

——— 

Ignis’s alarm playing in the morning fills him with dread. Despite going to bed on time, he never fails to find himself exhausted in the morning. He remembers his outing with Prompto today, however, and finds his mood improving instantly, like the sap that he is.

Ignis reaches over to check his phone, and finds an unread text from Prompto far late into the night, long after Ignis had fallen asleep.

**_Prompto (3:02 A.M.):_ ** _ woooo finally finished the project… time to die… [IMAGE ATTACHED] _

Prompto sent a photo along with the text; he’s taken a selfie of himself, his hair unstyled and damp from what Ignis assumes is a shower. He looks tired, but throws up a halfhearted peace sign and a smile for the picture, in front of what looks like a polaroid camera and a bunch of developed photos that Ignis can’t quite make out the contents of.

Despite Prompto appearing so tired, Ignis can’t stop looking at it. He has no idea how a single person’s smile can have so much of an effect on him, but here Ignis is, grinning at the photo like an idiot instead of getting ready for his class. He musters up a reply that he hopes doesn’t sound  _ too _ forward.

**_Ignis (6:24 A.M.):_ ** _ Exhaustion looks excellent on you, I must admit. I hope your project doesn’t give you too much trouble. _

Ignis wants to look his best today. He shuffles through his closet to find a cozy black turtleneck sweater, making sure he pulls out his gloves to match. He’ll wear his dark brown coat over it, settling for a more muted color look to match the season. He doesn’t want to appear  _ too _ eager and overdress, of course.

Ignis skips heading to  _ Cure for Insomnia _ this morning; despite his desire for coffee this early in the morning, he’d rather have his first cup be with Prompto, as sappy as it is. He’ll risk dozing off in the middle of class for the sake of love; Gladio can’t ever accuse him of not being romantic ever again.

Ignis doesn’t doze off until the last half of class. His turtleneck is  _ far _ too comfortable and he couldn't care less about chemical bonding (something he already learned in school years ago).

His phone buzzing in his pocket wakes him, and on the off-chance that the notification is from Prompto, he yanks it out of his pocket embarrassingly fast.

Ignis’s eagerness rewards him. He smiles when he finds a text from Prompto, with a picture attached.

**_Prompto (8:04 A.M.):_ ** _ ill show u my (eyebags) if u show me urs _

The picture attached is Prompto’s selfie, of course. He looks even more tired than the photo he sent yesterday. He’s wearing a cream-colored t-shirt, complimented by a goldenrod coat and a brown scarf wrapped around his neck. The colors highlight the freckles on his cheeks, and despite looking exhausted, all Ignis wants to do is cover him in kisses. He likely looks like an idiot smiling at his phone, but it’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

**_Ignis (8:06 A.M.):_ ** _ I adore your outfit today. You still are as handsome as ever. I’m afraid I’m in class, so a selfie would hardly be appropriate. _

Ignis looks around; absolutely no one is paying attention to him. Several others have their face buried in their phones as well—Cindy included, and Ignis wonders if it’s her girlfriend that she’s texting. No one would notice if Ignis snapped a blurry selfie, but he pushes that thought from his mind as soon as it crops up. 

**_Prompto (8:08 A.M.):_ ** _ aww cmon dont be a coward… no one will notice… dont break my heart dude, i only got like 3 hours of sleep _

Ignis supposes that’s a fair point—it’d be unfair to leave Prompto in the dark when Ignis has received not just one, but  _ two _ photos. Ignis turns on the front camera app on his phone, and subtly holds it out on his desk, resting his head on his arm. To anyone looking, it appears as if he’s just lazily scrolling his phone instead of taking a selfie in the middle of class. Ignis can’t help but smile slightly in the photo as he takes it.

Ignis studies the photo before he sends it. He’s definitely looked better; the lack of coffee certainly shows, as there’s a tired look in his eyes. His face is pressed against his arm, slightly skewing his glasses, but he supposes that adds to the tired look. Admittedly, he likes how he looks in the turtleneck. It seems safe enough to send to Prompto.

**_Ignis (8:12 A.M.):_ ** _ [PHOTO ATTACHED] I am admittedly not my best when I don’t have my coffee. _

Ignis has never done anything like this before; ignoring lessons in class in favor of exchanging texts and selfies of each other. He’ll have to learn to silence his phone during class if this playful exchange with Prompto continues.

Ignis hopes it continues, so very much.

**_Prompto (8:13 A.M.):_ ** _ dude what LMAO so u look like a model without coffee, how horrible ;)) _

Ignis’s heart gallops in his chest. In no way does Ignis look anything like a model, particularly right now, but the compliment sinks into his heart regardless. His cheeks warm even further, and he hopes the rest of his class goes by quickly enough, if only to ensure that he’s that much closer to seeing Prompto again.

Ignis’s phone buzzes again before he even finds time to respond.

**_Prompto (8:14 A.M.):_ ** _ seriously tho, i love ur blush. It’s super cute how shy u are. That turtleneck looks COZY _

Ignis can’t help but smile wider. He’s usually not shy, not even remotely—his job requires him to be about as bold and demanding as possible, so it’s interesting that Prompto would view him as  _ shy. _ Perhaps around Prompto, involving romantic matters, Ignis doesn’t have nearly as much experience with. He’s fine with that, however.

**_Ignis (8:15 A.M.):_ ** _ I’ve never been described as shy before. But thank you. And my turtleneck is very warm. _

**_Prompto (8:16 A.M.):_ ** _ well maybe i’m just lucky enough to see it :’) _

Ignis’s heart shouldn’t really be reacting so strongly to kind words like this. It is, again, as if Prompto proposed marriage instead of just offering a fairly neutral compliment. He has to admit he’s basking in his attention, and wishes he knew everything that would keep Prompto giving it.

**_Ignis (8:17 A.M.):_ ** _ Perhaps. _

Ignis also finds that he enjoys keeping it vague for the sake of coaxing more flirtations out of Prompto. He’s never boasted to play things fair. 

Prompto doesn’t respond, and Ignis assumes that he got busy with something. He definitely hopes he wasn’t too distant with him, but he supposes he’ll just have to live with that worry. He tries desperately to focus on the rest of class, but he finds that his head just isn’t in it this morning. 

Once his class ends, Ignis rushes to work to take care of a few tasks before he meets up with Prompto. If he ends up spending the rest of the day with Prompto, he doesn’t want to have to dismiss him in favor of work—he’d never forgive himself if he had to do that.

Work, as it turns out, isn’t very easy when your mind is elsewhere as well. Still, he manages to get most of his daily tasks done, and Ignis supposes that’s good for now.

Ignis heads to  _ Cure for Insomnia  _ far earlier than socially acceptable, but he’d rather be too early than late. He hopes Prompto will show up at least slightly early as well, so he doesn’t have to wait as long.

When Ignis walks inside, he certainly doesn’t expect to see Prompto already there, having arrived even earlier than him. Ignis stops in the doorway, slightly stunned for a moment. Prompto’s head whips toward the door as soon as it jingles, and he grins from ear to ear as soon as he sees that it’s Ignis.

Prompto is far too lovely for Ignis’s health, he decides. His heart soars in his chest as he looks at him. Prompto’s sitting at a table for two, in the middle of which has a plate of a single piece of cake with two forks on it. Prompto’s nursing a cup of coffee of his own, looking alluring and inviting all at once.

“Hey, Iggy,” Iris says from behind the counter, distracting Ignis from Prompto. “Prompto’s already paid for your drink. You want the usual, right?”

Ignis turns to look at Iris with a soft smile. “That would be grand.”

Ignis walks over to the counter after waving slightly to Prompto. Prompto waves enthusiastically back, which widens the smile on Ignis’s face. Dino, the co-owner of the coffee shop, enters from the back room, patting Iris on the shoulder before placing his hand on his hips.

“Well, good afternoon, Dino, it’s been a moment since I’ve seen you,” Ignis greets.

“How ya doin’, Specs? How’s culinary school treatin’ ya?” Dino asks.

Dino is eccentric, if nothing else. His presence is amusing, and when Sania is there to counter him, it’s even more entertaining. He sells jewelry of all things on the side, and Ignis always finds that a day where Dino is running the shop is always an interesting one.

“It’s wonderful thus far, thank you. And your jewelry business…?” 

“Eh. I’ll get back to ya on that one,” Dino says vaguely. “Iris give ya any trouble while I was gone?”

Iris shoots Dino a glare. “Hey!”

Dino laughs. “I’m kiddin’! Don’t gimme that look.” He rolls his eyes as he leans in. “Teenagers.”

Ignis can’t help but laugh, looking over his shoulder at Prompto for a moment, distracted by how handsome he looks.

“Oh, by the way, who’s the new kid?” Dino asks with a whisper. “Think he’s sweet on ya.”

Ignis ducks his head, smiling softly. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Aw, c’mon, you gotta gimme more than that. Iris won’t tell me anything, which is  _ immediately _ suspicious,” Dino says. “She talks about  _ everything.” _

Dino is even more of a gossip than Iris and Gladio, and for once, Ignis is somewhat relieved this is something he has no concept of. 

Ignis merely smirks at Dino. “My lips are sealed.”

Dino waves him off dismissively. “Youse guys are no fun.”

Iris giggles as she writes Ignis’s name on the cup, along with a rather silly smiley face. “Here ya go, Iggy!” 

“My thanks, Iris, as usual.” Ignis places some money in her tip jar before heading over to Prompto’s table.

It’s a rare occurrence when Ignis gets to see Prompto’s hair fully styled and uncovered by any hats or hoods. It’s almost golden in the dim, warm lighting of the coffee shop. It looks incredibly soft to the touch, and Ignis wishes more than anything he knew what it was like to touch it, and perhaps tenderly stroke it while tucking a lock behind Prompto’s ear. It’s only then when Ignis notices an array of piercings along Prompto’s ear, two in the cartilage and one on the lobe. They look good on him, and Ignis wonders how many more things he’ll learn about Prompto the more he gets to know him.

“Good afternoon, Prompto,” Ignis says softly, setting his cup next to Prompto’s, which he finds has an equally adorable smiley face drawn next to his name as well.

“Heya, Iggy,” Prompto says just as sweetly, eyelashes fluttering as he looks up at Ignis. “Sorry, I got here super early, so I just went ahead and ordered some cake, I thought we could share…? Figured chocolate was safest.”

“I’d love to,” Ignis says. “I  _ love _ chocolate.”

Prompto grins as he scoots his chair next to the empty one, pulling it out to offer it to Ignis. “Have a seat, man.”

Ignis smiles, sitting where he’s invited to. He wraps his hands around his coffee cup, dwelling in the warmth of the coffee as he takes a small sip.

“Not that I’m complaining, but may I ask what the occasion is?” Ignis wonders. “I assure you, if you need homework help, you needn’t bribe me with desserts, though I do appreciate it.” 

Ignis is only half-joking; there’s only a handful of reasons why someone like Prompto would take such a sudden interest in him, he’s afraid. 

Prompto throws his head back and laughs, and the sight is nothing short of beautiful. Ignis watches Prompto’s smile wistfully, his laugh easily blending in with the coffee shop soundtrack. Once he recovers, Ignis finds it harder still to look away.

“Dude, what?” Prompto takes a sip of his coffee. “I don’t need homework help, man. That was a good one, though.”

Ignis can’t help but smile, even though he’s not entirely clued in to just  _ what _ Prompto wants. “Is there something else, then? Or…?” Ignis doesn’t dare finish that question. He doesn’t want to look foolish by  _ assuming _ something.

Prompto sobers a bit. “You know, you’re super hard to read,” he says. “I’ve told you that before, I think. Sometimes I think…” he trails off, ducking his head. “And then it’s…”

Ignis’s brow furrows in confusion. Prompto has done an excellent job of explaining absolutely nothing at all, and they’re on more uneven footing now because of it. He tilts his head curiously.

“Pardon?”

Prompto shakes his head. “Nothin’. It’s my birthday today.” He smiles.

Ignis feels a bit guilty. Prompto’s wasting his birthday time with Ignis when he could be doing anything else, and here Ignis is, accusing him of ulterior motives.

“Oh,” Ignis says softly. “I had no idea. I’m terribly sorry. I wish you the happiest of birthdays, Prompto. It must be lovely to have an autumn birthday. If I had known, I would have brought you something...”

Prompto waves him off. “I didn’t wanna tell you in case you felt obligated to do exactly that. You had no way of knowin’. We don’t know each other yet. But thanks, man. When’s your birthday?”

Ignis dwells over the ‘ _ yet’ _ part of Prompto’s sentence. If anything, it tells him that Prompto’s willing to continue whatever  _ this _ is. Ignis’s heart thuds. 

“February,” Ignis answers. “Still, I would have liked to get you something. And yet, here you are, having bought  _ me _ something instead.” He nods toward his coffee and the cake.

“Yeah, well, I had to do somethin’ to get your attention,” Prompto says, hiding his face behind his coffee as he drinks several gulps. “I never know if you want…” He shakes his head. “Like I said,  _ totally _ hard to read.”

That in itself gets Ignis’s attention. He’d normally feel insecure about Prompto’s words, but he is, effectively, distracted for the moment. His eyes lock with Prompto’s just as flush warms his cheeks. “My attention…? What for?”

Prompto’s sheepish smile turns into a smirk as he returns Ignis’s gaze. “C’mon, you gotta know…”

Ignis gently grips his coffee for support, his other palm lying flat on the table. “Know… what, exactly?”

“Why would I wanna spend my birthday with you?” Prompto whispers, leaning in slightly. “You really don’t know?”

Ignis’s heart makes its way into his throat, it feels like. He isn’t missing the way Prompto’s leaning in, and Ignis makes the mistake of allowing his eyes to fall on Prompto’s soft lips.

“I—I don’t,” Ignis admits, tripping over his words once more.

Prompto leans in closer still, his eyes traveling from Ignis’s to his lips and back again. “Maybe I could show ya.”

“Perhaps that…” Ignis’s lips part slightly, “might be best.”

Prompto’s leaned in about as close as he can without actually  _ touching _ Ignis’s lips. “Gods, you know,” he whispers before reaching out to cradle Ignis’s cheek, “I  _ really _ love it when you blush at me, dude.”

Ignis chuckles breathlessly, dwelling in how soft Prompto’s fingertips feel against his cheekbone. He closes his eyes just as Prompto closes the distance between their mouths, Prompto’s lips warm and soft against his own. Ignis hums pleasurably as Prompto captures Ignis’s lips with his own, moving gently and slowly at first, allowing Ignis to melt into the kiss.

Ignis reaches out to cup Prompto’s cheek with a gloved hand, still able to feel the warmth of Prompto through them. Prompto’s tongue gently teases the seam of Ignis’s lips, and Ignis allows it, encouraging the soft brush of his tongue into his mouth.

Ignis parts the kiss before anything can escalate; the coffee shop soundtrack and the sound of coffee grinding certainly alluding to the reminder that they are, in fact, in a public space, and anything more than what they’re doing now could be considered indecent.

“Apologies,” Ignis says softly, breathlessly as his eyes flutter open. “You’re bad for my health.” He laughs softly.

Prompto looks beautiful like this, he must admit; slightly dazed, lips thoroughly kissed, flush reddening his cheeks. Ignis would kiss him endlessly if only to see him look like this all over again.

“No, my bad. Not exactly coffee shop appropriate,” Prompto says with a snicker, rubbing the back of his neck. “I knew once I kissed you it’d be pretty hard to stop.”

Ignis ducks his head shyly. “You sap.”

“I’m serious,” Prompto insists. “You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to kiss you.”

It’s Ignis’s turn to hide his face behind his coffee cup. “The feeling is certainly mutual.”

“When Gladio said you liked me, I was ready to kiss you right there, but you were so upset and then you left, I thought maybe it was too good to be true…” Prompto shakes his head. 

Ignis curses himself internally for leaving so quickly; he could’ve been kissed far earlier than this. “Apologies. I was a bit humiliated.”

“Yeah, I get it, your roomie spilled the beans. Noct’s been whining about it ever since I met you, since I kinda couldn’t shut up about you,” Prompto says with a snicker. “Hoped you didn’t think I was a stalker for finding your number and showing up outside of your class…”

“I loved every moment of it, I assure you,” Ignis reassures him. “Had I known it was your birthday I would have kissed you the moment I saw you.”

Prompto reaches across the table to curl his fingers around Ignis’s free hand. “This is plenty good enough for me, man.”

“You’re far too flattering,” Ignis says softly. “Since it  _ is _ your birthday… what are your plans for the rest of the day? I completely understand if you’re busy.”

Prompto laughs, suddenly embarrassed. The flush returns to his cheeks as he rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, about that…”

Ignis raises an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

“I kinda… sorta told everyone I had plans… ‘cause I was banking on spending the day with you.” Prompto bites his lip. “So, uh… I don’t have plans.”

Ignis finds himself grinning. He leans in to kiss Prompto softly and sweetly once more. It takes Prompto by surprise, and he smiles against Ignis’s lips as they both start to laugh against each other’s mouths.

“You’re adorable,” Ignis promises, feeling confident after Prompto’s confession. “I’d love to cook you dinner. Or we could go out, if you’d like? Whichever you prefer. There’s a horror film marathon at the cinema near campus, we could also… go there after, if you’d like.”

Prompto beams at him. “Dude, I  _ love _ scary movies. Perfect for the season, y’know. Also good for… cuddlin’ up close.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “I am  _ totally _ curious about your cooking, and I can’t wait to try it, but…” He squeezes Ignis’s hand. “I want us both to be treated today. We can go out to eat…?”

Ignis is touched that Prompto would even consider something like that. “I’d like that very much.”

Prompto smirks. “Perfect. I promise I’ll keep you from trippin’ from here on out.”

Ignis chuckles. “My hero.” 

**Author's Note:**

> again, art was by the lovely [kai](https://twitter.com/peachesand_jam), you can thank them for the inspiration ;-;  
> here's my [twitter](https://twitter.com/ignisgayentia) & [tumblr](http://ignisgayentia.tumblr.com/) as well!
> 
> (i hope u enjoyed coffee shop co-owners dino and sania... they are like some of my fav characters so i love shoehorning them in... are they bitter rivals? lovers? partners in crime? wlw and mlm solidarity? who knows... i sure don't...)
> 
> thanks so much for reading!


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